Rotary toothbrush



Jun24,1969 EBBURGETT 3,451,086

ROTARY TOOTHBRUSH Filed Feb. 27, 1967 United States Patent O 3,451,086ROTARY TOOTHBRUSH Elbert B. Burgett, 2809 N. 3rd St., Flagsta, Ariz.86001 Filed Feb. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 618,774 Int. Cl. A46b 13/02; F16h21/26 U.S. CL 15--23 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This inventionrelates generally to self powered toothbrushes. More specifically itrelates to rotary toothbrushes.

A principal object of the present invention is to provi-de a rotarytoothbrush which includes a shield over a portion of the brush so toprevent rubbing and irritating the tongue and other tissue of the mouthduring -brushing operation.

Another object is to provide an improved rotary toothbrush which has ahollow handle containing a battery powered motor for rotating the brush,the ymotor being reversible in direction so that it may be used for:brushing both upper and lower teeth in an approved manner which isbrushing away from the gums toward the tips of the teeth.

Yet another more specific object of the invention is to provide a rotarytooth brush wherein the Ibrush has a combined rotary and axialreciprocating motion causing more effective cleansing.

Other objects are to provide `an improved rotary toothbrush which issimple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction,easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of thefollowing specification and the accompanying `drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective lview of a toothbrush incorporating theinvention,

FIGURE 2 is an end view thereof shown in operative use,

FIGURE 3 is an electric circuit diagram thereof,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a fmodified form of the invention, and

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional View taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral representsan improved rotary toothbrush according to the present invention whereinthere is a handle 11 which supports a brush 12.

The handle 11 comprises a walled case 12 having a central compartmenttherein for containing an electric motor 13, a dry cell battery 14 orother -power source, a rheostat 15 and an electric switch 16, all incircuit; the switch 16 having a button 17 protruding outward of the casefor movement between a forward position 18 a reverse position 19 and anoff position 20 designated on the case. 65

The rheostat likewise has a rotatable knob 21 on the outside of the casefor manual adjustment between a high and low speed position 22 and 23respectively, also designate-d on the case.

A motor shaft 24 extends outward of the case end 25 and carries thecylindrical brush 12 at its end. A guard or shield 27 having asemi-cylindrical configuration covers a side of the brush, the shieldbeing secured by screws 28 to the case.

In operative use, the brush is held against the teeth 29 and activatedto rotate in a direction away from the gums 30, as indicated by arrow 31in FIGURE 2.

In FIGURES 4 and 5, a modifie-d construction 32 is shown to comprise theabove described structure and wherein the brush 33 has a longitudinalbare sector 34 Without any bristles 35. The shield 36 has a radiallyinwardly projecting, ldiagonally positioned comb 37 formed on itsconcave inner side 38, the comb 'having teeth 39. Each tooth has onelonger and shorter side in the manner of saw teeth. A disc 40 isintegrally formed on motor shaft 41, and a compression lcoil spring 42bears at one end on the disc and at its other end against the case 43,normally urging the shaft outwardly. The shaft `41 `is mounted in thehousing 11 in a manner which permits axial movement, that is, the shaftcan move longitudinally of the housing a predetermined distance. Thisshaft can be provided with axially spaced stops to limit such 4axialmotion (not shown).

In operative use, when the brush is rotating, the bristles rub againstthe diagonally positioned com-b causing the brush to move longitudinallytoward the handle. When the bare sector 34 comes into alignment with thecomb, the longitudinal pressure is released and the spring 42 returnsthe brush outwardly along the longitudinal axis thus resulting in areciprocal longitudinal brush movement during the rotation thereof. Thisgives greater brushing activity.

Obviously sponge rubber -may be substituted for the bristles in thisinvention.

The novel features and the operation of this device will be apparentfrom the foregoing description. While the device has been shown and thestructure described in detail, it is obvious that this is not to beconsidered limited to the exact form disclosed, and that changes may bemade therein within the scope and the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a rotary toothbrush, the combination of a handle, a shaftextending from said handle and axially slidable in said handle, acylindrical brush on said shaft and having a bare portion extendingaxially of the shaft, means on said handle to rotate said shaft, meansnormally biasing said shaft outwardly from said handle, a shield mountedon said handle and enclosing a portion of the brush, an abutment mountedon the shield and angularly disposed relative to the bare portion andadapted to Contact the brush and to exert axial force on said brush tomove said shaft axially relative to said handle as said brush rotates,whereby the shaft is caused to simultaneously rotate and reciprocateaxially providing effective clearing action.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,247,484 11/ 1917 Albrecht 15-241,795,098 3/1931 Scadding 15-23 2,279,982 4/ 1942 Glynn 15-23 2,840,8377/ 1958 Gustems 15--23 3,033,197 5/ 1962 Barckley. 3,034,376 5/1962Gonzalez.

EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 74-22

